Janmaat was one of the few bright sparks in an attacking sense, but insists defending is his priority and the team as a whole must pose a greater threat.

“I try to join in (the attack), but I am a defender and that has to be my main job. It is not just about the attackers when it comes to scoring goals, but as a team, we have to find a way of posing more of a threat.”

Defensively, Newcastle have generally shown an improvement on last season but the problems have been at the other end of the pitch, with neither Papiss Cisse nor Aleksandar Mitrovic contributing a great deal.

The Serbian’s return from suspension will be a boost, providing he manages to control his temperament in future games, and the pressure will be on the big-money signing to start proving his worth.